Thursday, January 28, 2016

BALC 2016 Welcome to Blog Hop 1


(PSSST: Please note: The list for continuing the hop is at the bottom of this  post. . .)
 
That is how this all officially began.  In 2007, I wanted to create a venue with a gathering of customers that would come and buy my vintage costume jewelry. If a girl's gonna hoard, it better be small, right? So, I decided to go to Rubylane after much thought and a few years of watching the traffic.  About six years ago, I found B'Sue on eBay and the rest, as they say, is history.

I am an alumni of the BALC, which simply means nothing...and everything.  I am still pushing myself and being pushed. . .still trying to push that envelopes edge.  And still learning.  And I LOVE it! I love that I am mixed in with people who have so much more experience than I do, and who are into using product and torches and alcohol inks and clay to enhance their pieces. I love than I have such a high learning curve and that we all talk about so many things. And I love knowing that I am learning what I may not have been open to learning before. . .ego, MOVE OUTTA THE WAY!

I have always been involved in the creative.  Thank goodness I had a mother who taught us embroidery and was an active Girl Scout leader.  I could cook and bake and sew on the machine and by hand. I learned how to crochet and macrame. And get badges for it. . . oooo. . . .ahhhhh. . .badges (say it like Homer Simpson when he says "donuts" and well. . .you'll get more bang for your buck!)

My latest endeavor was the Art of Life, where we painted with a group of woman we did not know who were also cancer survivors.  These painting have been displayed and are on a year long display in an office in town.  Ours are March on a calendar and on note cards that they are selling for the group.



That's me holding the Iris, second from the left hand side.

This is my partner in crime, Miss MIA, wearing a lovely Coro necklace, might I add. While MIA should mean "mine" in Italiano, it means Missing In Action, which she was the first two weeks we brought her home. She is very supportive of all jewelry making and makes sure to tell me if a project is just not right.



Here is a look at some of the work that I have done prior to this time in jewelry.


 



 
 

As you can tell, I opt for one of a kind pieces and artisan pieces than I do pieces that would be successful in a line. But this is about building a line. . . I digress. . . .

Here are some of my pieces from last years Build a Line Challenge. My theme was Steampunk in the Garden, so mostly floral pieces.





My theme this year is trees and florals and will focus on caging, which is how I came here anyway--looking for foundations upon which to cage.

Now--off you go.  Have fun reading the other pages and learning about all the players in this wonderful game!  If you haven't played yet, there is always next year.  Thank you for taking the time to read.  Sign in and leave me a comment and let me know that you were here.

List of Participants for the Blog Hop

Brenda Sue Lansdowne Jewelry Making Outside the Box
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com


Diana Buynak Butterfly Emporium Ceramic Studio
http://butterflyemporium.indiemade.com/blog

Irene Hoffman, Heart's Dezire by Irene
http://heartsdezirebyirene.wordpress.com


Clare Wells Nemeth, Creative Magick
http://www.craftingmagick.blogspot.com

Mary Reckmeyer, Afrayed Not
http://www.afrayedknot.net

Marcia Tuzzolino, Aurora Designs
http://auroradesignsjewelryblog.me

Elizabeth Wilks, Wearable Art by Lizzie
http://wearableartbylizzie.blogspot.com

Jeanette Rose Belmont, One Canvas At A Time
http://www.onecanvasatatime.com

Lyn Joy Reeve, A Journey From Jewels To Jubilation
http://lnreeve00.blogspot.com

Belinda Reed-Ingle, Vogue Rocks
 http://voguerocks.blogspot.com

Beth Trubman, The Journey of Jewelry
http://thejourneyofjewelry.blogspot.com

Carole Carlson, Bead Sophisticate
http://beadsophisticate.wordpress.com

Jann Tague, Clever Designs by Jann
http://janntague.wordpress.com

Shari Gardner, SLG Jewelry Designs
http://slgdesigns.wordpress.com

Susan Bolton, Fern's Place
http://www.fernsplace.org

Chris Kemp, Noodle Pie Bracelets
http://noodlepiebracelets.com

Barbara Kelley, Angels' Keep
http://angelskeepbandbdotcom.wordpress.com

Susan Bowerman, Woodside Wireworks
http://woodsidewireworks.com/

Pamela Anger, Novegatti Designs
http://novegattidesigns.blogspot.com

Joan Donovan, Hailey's Cottage
http://haileyscottage.com/

Alison Huie, Ally's Baubles
http://www.allysbaubles.blogspot.com

Sharon Palac, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
http://www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com

Erica Olmos, Beeb's Closet
https://beebscloset.wordpress.com

Erin Whitacre, Shattered Time Jewelry
https://shatteredtimejewelry.wordpress.com

Fran Sitton, Sitton Up Front
https://sittonupfront.wordpress.com

Ginger Hammond, Lynn Leigh Designs
https://lynnleighdesigns.wordpress.com

Paula Gaskill, Lovely LaylaBug Jewels
http://www.lovelylaylabugjewels.com/Blog.php

YOU ARE HERE @>-----------

Mary Deis, The Rose Sword
http://theroseswordmdeis.blogspot.com

Renee Webb Allen, Small Stuff Design
http://smallstuffdesign.com

Valerie Tilghman, ArtJewelsandGifts
http://www.artjewelzdimensions.blogspot.com

Chris Cravens, Vintage Cravens
http://christinecravens.blogspot.com

Leslie Carver, Adorn Divine Designs
http://www.adorndivinedesigns.blogspot.com

Donna Parry, JewelryDonna
http://jewelrydonna.typepad.com

Gina-Marie Hammer, Tangles, Twists and Treasures
http://tanglestwistsandtreasures.com/blog/

Kelly Wymer, Winged Wisdom Enchantments
https://wingedwisdomenchantments.wordpress.com/